Monday, June 6, 2016

Guest Designer--Happy Little Stampers-Textured Canvas

Hello, friends and visitors! I'm so honored to be Guest Designer at Happy Little Stampers Mixed Media today. I was super excited when I learned the challenge theme was to be "Texture", because if you are a regular follower, you know I LOVE texture! I had been inspired to make a "denim" mixed media project for some time after seeing some photos of pillows in an old Pottery Barn catalog, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to make this denim canvas. In my messy, grungy style, of course!

For the background, I laid down Golden regular gel medium through a paper stencil I made using Tim Holtz Mixed Media Harlequin Thinlits die. Making paper stencils is so easy, and there's no clean up after use! After the gel fully dried, I covered the entire canvas with gesso. Next came Distress paints in Weathered Wood, Faded Jeans, Salty Ocean, and Chipped Sapphire applied in layers. Some colors I wiped back, and sometimes I heat set the paints between layers. I did some sanding to remove some of the color (just like my most loved jeans) and then added more back,this time using Distress Crayons in Picket Fence and Chipped Sapphire. I continued with the wiping and sanding until I was happy with it.

I used my new to me Dina Wakley Leafy stencil and regular gel medium randomly to the front and sides of the canvas. I carefully marked my stencil, because I knew I would be replacing it to add more layers of medium. But even taking that precaution, it was a bear to realign because of the pattern.

When the gel had fully dried, I swiped on Distress crayons and smudged with my fingers and dried. Then I carefully replaced the stencil and knifed through with Distress Crackle Paint in Picket Fence, allowed it to fully dry, and again, wiped on more crayon, this time watered down.

I had a major goofy at the bottom when I didn't realign my leaf stencil properly before adding crackle paint, so I had to do some repair work. What a mess! I can't tell you all the steps I took to iron out my problems, but it involved sanding, covering the entire area with texture paste, re-painting, then adding crackle paste through another homemade Harlequin stencil. (I decided I was done with the Leafy stencil!) Oddly the cracks never materialized (I usually never have a problem with the Golden), so I replaced my stencil and added Picket Fence Crackle paint. Whew! This is the canvas from you-know-where! Anyway, it has texture, wouldn't you agree?

I added more texture by using texture paste and TCW's Art Is stencil. I created the shadow using Black Soot Distress Crayon and a waterpen.

Next, I added stamping using the script image from the Happy Little Stampers Thinking of You set in Cobalt Archival. I also splattered on Distress Spray stain in Black Soot (I removed the spray tube from the bottle, and splattered directly from that) and heat dried. I've splattered up yet another top, but somehow managed to spare the shorts! Finally, I added microbeads in coordinating colors.

To finish my project, I stamped two Tim Holtz butterflies on white card with Picket Fence Distress ink and sprinkled with Ranger Sticky Embossing Powder, heated, and sprinkled again with Pumice Stone Distress Glitter. I gave them a hint of color using Tumbled Glass Distress marker and a waterpen, and the bodies are Liquid Pearls. When dry, I fussy cut them and adhered.

The tiny butterfly is Rubber Stampede and colored with Tumbled Glass and Faded Jeans markers and a waterpen. I fussy cut and layered on white card.

I sure have enjoyed spending the day with the talented Mixed Media Design Team at Happy Little Stampers Mixed Media blog, and if you haven't yet, I hope you'll pop by to see all the amazing inspiration from the team!

I would like to enter my canvas in the following inspiring challenges:

29 comments:

Oh wow, it's absolutely stunning, Sara Emily!! The texture is ah-may-zing!! You'd never know you had trouble and had to sand and repaint and repaste!! It looks so gorgeous!! I love the denim color and the details!! Truly spectacular my friend and so inspiring!! Congrats on your guest design spot!! Have a great evening!! Big hugs :)

Wow Sarah what an inspiring piece of art work. I love the monochrome look, all that gorgeous texture, and your step by step description is so helpful. Thank you for being a fabulous Guest Designer this month.HugsCarol X

Awesome, Sara Emily!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all the texture (and no one would ever notice the bo0-boo you describe!) And that color - I am swooning! I am very far behind, but trying to catch up - so glad I caught this!! xxx Lynn

LOL -- The canvas "from you know where". Yep ... Had a few of those myself. Love the denim look and despite the problems you had with it, the crackled leaf stencil is amazing (although I don't blame you for ditching it in favor of the harlequin). Love all of the texture. And those coordinating microbeads are so very lovely. Thanks for dropping by my blog. Seeing your comment made me smile. I'm glad to be back. Hugs -- Mary Elizabeth

The deep denim blue on your canvas is gorgeous Sara Emily so rich and inviting and I love the texture you added with those delightful little butterflies. Thanks for sharing your amazing talent with us at AVJ xxx

Wow Sara, this is just stunning!! I want to reach into my screen and touch this beauty, oh the wonderful textures everywhere!! I love the addition of the microbeads, adds such a lovely interest without stealing focus from those gorgeous butterflies!! Your rich blue palette has me completely drooling, how decadent and regal! Love the crackle too, well I love it all actually!! sending hugs :)

Biggest congrats on your GD post, girl! Amazing! Beautiful texture and awesome on trend color palette. Love your new stencil. Just so you know, it was YOU that made me buy the oval ornate frame die, so now we're even! ha ha ha ha

Huge huge congrats on your guest spot! Yippee! This design is blue-tiful! Hehe. I love how the middle part is lighter than the other spots. It creates a wonderful contrast and highlight and your stencils are amazing! Awesome sauce canvas and butterflies dearie. Hugz to you muffin!~Punkin

Love the shape of your canvas and what you did with it is just brilliant!! Clever use of your own made stencils and then the other textures bring even more depth to it all. The butterflies are just the perfect focals to it all!

Sara, this canvas is stunning! I love the gorgeous blues and the texture is truly other-worldly. The stencil work is sublime. The harlequin at the bottom looks fabulous, so I think the leafies weren't meant to be there! Amazing cover-up from your brilliant mind. The butterflies add a lovely touch of softness. You are so talented and it is a joy to see your creations. Thank you for explaining your processes, too! Incredible work, my friend. Happy Little Stampers is blessed to have you! I hope you have a sunshiny weekend. :o)

Hey Sara!! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and leaving your always so sweet, so uplifting comments! I love hearing from you. I'm so glad that I stopped by your blog as well! Your canvas for your Happy Little Stampers Guest Designers spot is beautiful! I love the shape of your canvas. That is very interesting and I love what you've done to the canvas to accentuate the length. Your blue denim color is awesome and I adore the stenciled harlequins. Paper stencils...you very smart girl! Your leaf stencil, the crackled areas and the butterflies are also so pretty on your "denim" background. As with all of your work, I love it!

Ooh, texture and then some more texture - love the shape to start with and the fabulous blue jeans colour, not to mention those amazing harlequins. Another brilliant guest spot - congratulations (yes, more of them!).Alison x

Love me some pottery barn - I will have to look in there for some art inspiration too - especially if it helps me create something as awesome as this! Love the texture - and love that you practically had to redo the bottom - and it turned out so great! Thank you so much for playing with us at The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge's 2nd Anniversary!!

A textural delight! Sara. Love reading how this canvas evolved and it really is a beauty. From the texture, the colour , the embellies , the long thin oblong shape of the canvas It save to say I love it all . Congrats too on your Guest design spot . hugs x

Oh wowzers Sarah! I'm just loving your work right now! You are rocking this piece too my lovely! The colours is gorgeous and the butterflies contrast perfectly!! Yup, a new fave!! HugsGeeP.s. Thanks for joining us at MMP xx